Aqueducts in the Holy Land
Water is scarce in this dry land, and aqueducts were built in order to supply water to cities and mills.
Isaiah 41 18: "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water".
Home > Info > Structures > Aqueducts
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This page summarizes the sites that feature water aqueducts. |
Overview:
An aqueduct is a man made water supply channel that conveys water from the source, usually springs or rivers, to the consumers, usually residents and public structures. The name is based on the combination of the Latin words "Aqua" (water) and "ducere" (channel or pipe).
The aqueduct is built in various configurations: over the ground, on the surface, along a rock bed or cut into the rock. It used the gravitation force as the method of moving the water over a sloped channel - starting from the higher source and reaching a lower target.
History of water supply:
Water supply is fundamental for the survival of a city in the dry land of Israel. The availability of water determined the location and size of the villages and cities. The water supply methods were perfected during the history of the urbanization:
- In early times the lack of water limited the inhabitation to the low areas and within a close proximity to wells and springs. They supported only dozens of people and their cattle.
- During the Iron age, rock cutting made it possible to establish small villages in high and protected hills, since it was possible to cut cisterns under the houses and store water from the rain fall in the winter and use it during the dry seasons. This supported hundreds of people, which could relocate to remote and well protected areas. Rock cutting also allowed the mega-cities to build underground tunnels in order to reach remote springs.
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- In the modern times, electrical pumps and pipes are used to supply water to homes and factories.
- One of the largest projects in Modern Israel is the "Movil Haartzi" (National carrier) which is a long aqueduct that brings water from the Sea of Galilee to the dry Negev desert.
Sites with Aqueducts:
The following table lists the sites of aqueducts that are featured in BibleWalks. Click on the site's name to see more information on each site.
| Site | Structure | Period | Length | Photo | ||
| Caesarea |
Herod build the first aqueduct in the 1st C BC. It brought running water to the old city of Caesarea, along a raised aqueduct. The source of the water was the springs of Shummi, 10KM away. It was expanded by the Romans. Later, more aqueducts were built. |
Early Roman Roman Byzantine Early Arab Crusaders Mamlukes Ottoman |
10KM | Click on the photos to enlarge them.
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| Acre (Akko) |
The Aqueduct brought running water to the old city of Acre, along a raised aqueduct. The source of the water was the springs of Cabri, 12KM away. |
Hellenistic Ottoman |
12KM |
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| Sepphoris |
The large water reservoir received water from 2 long aqueducts. The water system included valves, vertical shafts and support arches. This enormous project provided water to the major part of the city, while the higher places around the fortress used cisterns for their water supply. |
Roman | 13.5KM |
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| Beit Yerach |
The water was supplied to a baths complex in the city (named Sinnabray). The aqueducts was based on modular units made of basalt rock. The aqueduct was tapped of the "Bereniki" aqueduct which brought water from the Yavniel creek (west of the Tell) to Tiberias. |
Roman |
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| Manot | This groove in the rock bed was part of an ancient aqueduct, which may be related to the water mill that was located at its edge. It may have also been a part of the water supply for the Manot - either for the village or for the sugar factory. | Roman/ Byzantine |
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| Kh. Seraf (Bezet creek) | In the Bezet creek are traces of an ancient aqueduct. Built in the Byzantine period and in use until the Ottoman period. The aqueduct supplied water to the ancient village of Bezet, a large Roman/Byzantine city which is the source of the name of the creek. | Byzantine Ottoman |
about 8KM |
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| Tell Kinneret |
Tell Kinneret is a high hill on the north-west side of the sea of Galilee, where the biblical city of Kinneret once was located. Today the site is used as the water pumps for the National Carrier project. |
Modern |
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Pools of
Bethesda, Jerusalem |
The Bethesda water reservoirs supplied water to the temple mount. The first pool was constructed during the first temple, based on a dam that collected rain water flowing in the valley and stored it in a natural lake. Then the waters were directed from the lake to the temple in an open channel. |
Second temple |
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Sultan's Pool, Jerusalem |
An ancient pool, part of the water supply system of Jerusalem from the Roman period until the late Ottoman period. The aqueduct is built around the circumference of the pool. |
Herodian-
Ottoman |
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| Megiddo |
The spring is located outside of the fortified city. An underground aqueduct brought its waters inside, allowing the defenders to survive long sieges. |
Israelite Kings | 80M tunnel underground |
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Biblical References:
There are dozens of Biblical verses with water and springs, and several of them are included below.
Deut 8:7
"For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;"
Isaiah 41:18
"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water".
Etymology (behind the name):
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